Background: Up to now, epidemiological studies on allergy rhinitis (AR) have primarily focused on determining the risk of disease in Chinese adults, with the majority of them designed by single centers, while cross-sectional and epidemiological data describing allergic sensitization in children with self-reported AR are scarce. Objective: This study was estimating of the latest information about the sensitization patterns and risk factors of clinical AR to develop effective strategies for the prevention and treatment of AR. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey between January 2020 and June 2021 involving children from seven cities in China who reported AR. A total of 762 children participated in this survey. To evaluate the risk factors and specific sensitization patterns of clinical AR through questionnaires and specific immunoglobulin E to 11 aeroallergens. Results: Of the 762 patients, 593 (77.8%) had at least one positive IgE level. Aged 7-14 years (OR 1.503, (95% CI 1.058-2.136), P = 0.023); With allergic conjunctivitis (OR 1.843, (95% CI 1.297-2.620), P = 0.001) and living in the Eastern (OR 1.802, (95% CI 1.263-2.573), P = 0.001) all elevated the risk of clinical AR associated with aeroallergens. The sensitization rates of D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae were higher than those of other allergens in the 0-6 and 7-14 years old age groups. The most common aeroallergens among self-reported children with AR in the eastern were D. farinae (74.9%) and D. pteronyssinus (74.3%), while in the western were mugwort (60.0%) and marguerite (56.6%). Majority of sIgE-positive subjects were sensitized to three or more of the tested pollen allergens in the Western (52.1%), compared with 5.7% in the Eastern. Conclusion:There was an apparent geographic variation in childhood allergies in China. Age factors also had strong impacts on the allergen sensitization rate of children, but these impacts differed across regions.

No abstract

Objective: House-dust mite sensitization is an important cause of allergic asthma and/or rhinitis in southern China. This study aimed to analyze the immune effect and relationship between the Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus components specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) and sIgG4. Methods: The serum levels of sIgE and sIgG4 to D. pteronyssinus allergen components Der p 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 23 were detected in 112 patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) and/or allergic asthma (AA). Results: Overall, Der p 1 had the highest positive rate of sIgE (72.3%), followed by Der p 2 (65.2%) and Der p 23 (46.4%). Meanwhile, the highest positive rates of sIgG4 were for Der p 2 (47.3%), Der p 1 (33.0%), and Der p 23 (25.0%). The patients with AR and AA had a higher positive rate (43.4%) of sIgG4 than that in the patients with AR (42.4%) and the patients with AA (20.4%; p = 0.043). In patients with AR, the positive rate of sIgE in Der p 1 (84.8%) was higher than that in sIgG4 (42.4%; p = 0.037), but the positive rate of sIgG4 in Der p 10 (21.2%) was higher than that in sIgE (18.2%; p < 0.001). Most of the patients were positive for sIgE and sIgG4 of Der p 2 and Der p 10 at the same time. However, positive results for sIgE alone were just found in Der p 7 and Der p 21. Optimal scale analysis showed that Der p 2, Der p 7, and Der p 21 sIgG4 were closely related to AR and AA (Cronbach α = 0.917). Conclusion: Herein, the D. pteronyssinus allergen components showed different characteristics among the patients with AR, patients with AA, and patients with AR and AA in southern China. Thus, sIgG4 may be play an important role in allergic reactions.